1.Q: What is cancer?
A: Cancer is the loss of control over the growth of certain cells in the body, resulting in tumors or neoplastic organisms. Not all neoplastic organisms are cancers. Those that can spread to other parts of the body and interfere with the normal function of the body are called cancer.
2.Q: What is cervical cancer?
A: Cervical cancer is a cancer that originates in the cervix (the opening of the uterus). After the cells of the cervix start to grow abnormally, they sometimes develop into cancer if left untreated. However, these early changes (precancerous lesions) can also disappear on their own without causing symptoms.
3.Q: What causes cervical cancer?
A: Cervical cancer is caused by infection with human papillomavirus (HPV). In most cases, HPV infection goes away without treatment; however, sometimes, HPV can survive in cells for several years, allowing some women to eventually develop cervical cancer. The mechanism why only some of the women infected with HPV develop cervical cancer is not known.
4.Q: Is cervical cancer a sexually transmitted disease?
A: No. However, HPV can be transmitted through sexual contact and is quite common in both men and women. Only a minority of women infected with HPV develop precancerous lesions. If left untreated, after a few years, some of them can develop cervical cancer after years of HPV infection.
5.Q: Can cervical cancer be prevented?
A: Yes, it can. Limiting the number of sexual partners, using condoms, delaying the time of first sex and the age of first birth, and not smoking can help prevent cervical cancer. When the use of the vaccine becomes possible, young women should be vaccinated before they start having sex.
Currently, the best prevention for cervical cancer is through screening for precancerous lesions, which can be treated before they develop into cervical cancer.
6.Q: Who is at risk of cervical cancer?
A: All women who have had sex are potentially at risk for cervical cancer because they may have been infected with HPV. cervical cancer is most common in women between the ages of 40 and 60. The risk of cervical cancer is higher in women who have never been screened for cervical lesions, women who started sex and had children too early, women who have had more than five children, women who have a large number of sexual partners or who have multiple sexual partners, women who smoke, and women who are infected with HIV.
7.Q: Is there an increased risk of cervical cancer for women using hormonal contraceptives?
A: Long-term oral contraceptives can slightly increase the risk of cervical cancer. Women who take oral contraceptives should be routinely screened. Because the benefits of using the pill outweigh the risks associated with it, there is no reason to stop using the pill.
8.Q: Can genital warts cause cervical cancer?
A: No. Cervical cancer is caused by specific high-risk subtypes of HPV. Genital warts are caused by a different low-risk HPV type. Low-risk HPV does not cause cancer.
9.Q: Who should be screened for cervical cancer?
A: Women between 25 and 65 years old (or depending on the country) should be screened to detect early lesions. Women younger than 25 years old basically do not have cervical cancer, so they do not need to be screened. Women who have never had sex do not need to be screened. Kong Weimin, Department of Oncology, Beijing Maternity Hospital
10.Q: What is done during the screening test?
A: The most common screening test is Pap smear. Medical personnel look at the cervix via vaginal examination and collect cellular specimens from the cervix, which are then sent to the laboratory for examination. Sometimes other tests are used for cervical cancer screening, such as applying acetic acid to the surface of the cervix and then observing it. The medical staff will inform the person being screened which test method is used locally.
11. Q: What does a negative screening result mean?
A: If the screening result is negative, it means that no lesions that may develop into cervical cancer have occurred. Regular screening at regular intervals (every 3-5 years, depending on local norms) is important to make sure that no precancerous lesions have occurred.
12.Q: What does a positive screening result mean?
A: In most cases, a positive screening result means that the person being screened has precancerous lesions, which can disappear on their own or can be cured by simple outpatient treatment. Other tests may be needed to determine if the lesion is precancerous, except for cancer. Sometimes, a positive result means having cervical cancer, in which case, referral to the relevant hospital is needed for treatment.
13.Q: What is precancerous lesion?
A: Precancerous lesions will occur in the cervix after a period of high-risk HPV infection, and precancerous lesions are easily treated. Most precancerous lesions can subside on their own, but if they persist and are not treated, they may develop into cancer.
14.Q: Can cervical cancer be treated?
A: If detected early, most cervical cancers can be treated. Middle-aged women who have never been screened may have advanced cervical cancer by the time it is detected. If the cancer has spread beyond the cervix, treatment is more difficult.
15.Q: Can cervical cancer be cured?
A: Yes, it can. Cervical cancer can be cured if it is detected before it spreads severely. The earlier cervical cancer is detected, the higher the chance of cure.
16.Q: How to cure cervical cancer?
A: There are two main ways to treat cervical cancer: removing the tumor through surgery or killing the cancer cells through radiation; sometimes both are used at the same time.